Means for opening containers



Oct. 16, 1951 c, R LQGIC 2,571,590

MEANS FOR OPENING CONTAINERS Filed June 8, 1949 FIG.5

INVENTOR. CHARLES RICHARD LOGIC H/S ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1951 OFFICE MEANS; Fonoeenmc. commons Ch rles Richard Lo icfsouth Milwaukee, Wis.

Application June 8, 1949, Serial No. 97,736

. I r This invention relates to means, for opening; sealedcontainers in combination with means for. the. removal of the contents of the container.

Containers of the type for the storage, of liquids and particularly, containers for, the storage. of condensed milk may be opened. in a number of ways. A particularly simple and ogfiten used method is by the use of piercing prongs whereby the upper portion of the container is pierced with one or more openings through which the contents may be removed. Punch type can openers are well known. However, when cans are so pierced and the contents, as for example, condensed milk is removed at intervals, there is a tendency for a residue of condensed milk to collect about the opening and present an untidyappearance as well as cause a disagreeable odor.

It now has been discovered that a container may be provided with a pair of op nings by means of a hand press punch type can opener which functions, in addition to piercing the can, as a means for providing a facile, eflicient and sanitary method for removing the contents of the can.

The invention is now more fully disclosed by referring to the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view partly in section and with parts removed showing the device of this invention in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. 1. r

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a modified form of the piercing prong I of the device of this invention.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the combination can-opener and pouring spout is clearly shown in Fig. 1 indicated generally at l in which the device comprises a circular housing 2 having a base portion 3 from which extends downwardly a skirt or lip portion 4. The base portion 3 is provided with a threaded insert 5 adapted to receive the piercing prong 6.

The piercing prong 8 is provided with a. centrally located opening 1 which terminates near the point end 3 of the prong B in a pair of openings 9. These openings 9 interconnect with each other and the central opening I to provide a passage through the piercing prong 6 for the removal of the liquid contents of the container I0. The base portion 3 is provided with an opening I I in axial alignment with the threaded aperture 5 and with the opening I of the piercing prong 6 after the prong is moved into threaded engagement with the threaded aperture 5.

2. Claim (01. 222 -86) The pierc ng prong is further provided with a; resilient sleeve H which is positioned on the shank; of the prong 6 and rests on the shoulders. it formed by the piercing po nt 0f th pr e.

. B and the shank portion. The upper end of the sham; portion of the prong Eris threaded to be received in looking en ment w th threa s of the recess 5.. A pouring spout Hi is formed on the housing 2- and is provided with'ayn opening [5 which ex: tends in axial alignment with the opening H and horizontally outwardly to the edge of the housing 2.

When it is desired to remove the contents of the container I0, the can opener l is placed onto the upper end of the can It so that the can is received within the skirt 4 and is contacted with the points 8 of the piercing prongs 6. Pressure is then applied to the base 3 of the device I un, til the prongs 6 are forced thro gh the upper portion of the container to provide an opening I6 therein. A liquid tight seal is produced between the edges H of the opening l6 and the resilient sleeve l2. The device is thereby held firmly in position with the can and provides an opening from the interior of the can to its exterior through the openings 9, 1, II and IS. The contents of the can is removed by rotating the can in the direction of either one of the two piercing prongs causing the liquid to enter the openings 9 passing now downwardly through the openings 1 and II and then into the passage [5 and outwardly toward a receptacle in a controlled manner of flow by opening or closing the other passage l5 by placing a finger of the operator over the opening l5. When a sufficient quantity of material has been removed from the container, the container is placed in its normal upright position and the contents that filled the passages 3, 1, H and I5 is caused to reverse its direction of flow and return to the interior of the container. In the process of returning, the force at which the contents flows causes a selfcleansing action of these passages, thereby leavfunctions in the same manner as does the resilient sleeve I: on the prong 6. The prong I! may also be provided at its upper end with a threaded portion for engagement with the threaded recess in the housing 2. The prong I1 is positioned in such a manner that one of the leading edges ll will cut the top from the container I when the housing 2 is rotated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

In using prongs of the type shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to remove the top of the container 10, it is necessary to back oil the device I to a suflicient distance to disengage the sleeves 20 from contact with the metal portion of the can and engage the cutting edge l8 with the metal can cover.

The housing 2 may be made of any suitable material and it is preferred to use a thermoplastic moldable composition but metal or wood may be used. The resilient sleeves l2 and 20 may be made of rubber or any of the rubber substitutes. The piercing prongs are to be made of a metal, and particularly, a non-rusting type of metal, particularly an alloy of steel and chromium.

Although the invention is described with respect to specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawing, it is not intended that the details thereof shall be construed as limitations upon the scope of the invention except to the extent incorporated in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A container puncturing device comprising a body having a passage-way extending from one side to another side' of said body, a two sided spade-shaped piercing prong carried by said body and adapted for movement into piercing engagement, with a container, said prong having a passage-way in interconnecting relationship with the passage-way of said body whereby the contents of said container may pass to the exterior through said passage-ways, said piercing prong having a leading and trailing cuttin edge formed at the juncture of said two sides and adapted to out said container upon rotation of said device, and means carried by said prong for holding said device in operating position with said container.

2. A container puncturing device comprising a body having a depending skirt .for centering said body on a container and a passage-way extending from one side to another side of said body, a two sided spade-shaped piercing prong carried by said body to one side thereof and adapted for movement into piercing engagement with a container, said prong having a passageway in interconnecting relationship with the passage-way of said body whereby the contents of said container may pass to the exterior through said passage-ways, said piercing prong having a pair of cutting edges formed at the juncture of said two sides, one edge cutting said container upon rotation 01' said device in one direction and the other of said edges cutting said container upon rotation of said device in the opposite direction, and means carried by said prong for holding said device in operating position with said container.

' CHARLES RICHARD LOGIC.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date 

